OEM, no COA

[cats_Paw]

Hi Guys,
I bought yesterday a Windows 7 Pro OEM version.
It is LCP (low cost packing) version and when I got home I realized there is no Certificate of Authenticity in it.

There is a DVD (seems legit) and a Product key under one of those stickers you have to scrap to see it, but no COA.

I bought it from a respectable Retailer (not some eBay or similar auction).
Am I to understand that I have been sold a fake/incomplete copy?

I have it with me today and will go to the store after work but need to know what I am supposed to be requesting.

Kind regards,
Cats.

 

[Suryan7]

I think I will be the copy of windows 7 downloaded from the internet and burn it to a DVD.
I don't know the DVD is working or not. But it is a copy of windows 7. You can install it and Activate the product using the Activation code if the DVD works. Ask the Retailer that you will return back the DVD, If it is not working.
I suggest that ask the retailer about I mentioned above before installing.

 

[cats_Paw]

I have not removed the sticker that protects the product activation KEY to have additional grounds for returning the item.
I also have checked the site and it says it contains a licence and it is in a "box" while it was not. (not box version, but in a box.).

 

[Suryan7]

Ask the Retailer that you will return back the DVD, If it is not working.
If Accept it, You can open it and check, If it didn't works then return it.
FIRST ASK THE RETAILER.

 

[LucoTF]

Hi Guys,
I bought yesterday a Windows 7 Pro OEM version.
It is LCP (low cost packing) version and when I got home I realized there is no Certificate of Authenticity in it.

There is a DVD (seems legit) and a Product key under one of those stickers you have to scrap to see it, but no COA.

I bought it from a respectable Retailer (not some eBay or similar auction).
Am I to understand that I have been sold a fake/incomplete copy?

I have it with me today and will go to the store after work but need to know what I am supposed to be requesting.

Kind regards,
Cats.

The scratch off sticker IS the coa

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

LucoTF is correct, confirmed here:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-2206898/difference-coa-product-key.html

 

[cats_Paw]

Hi Guys,
I bought yesterday a Windows 7 Pro OEM version.
It is LCP (low cost packing) version and when I got home I realized there is no Certificate of Authenticity in it.

There is a DVD (seems legit) and a Product key under one of those stickers you have to scrap to see it, but no COA.

I bought it from a respectable Retailer (not some eBay or similar auction).
Am I to understand that I have been sold a fake/incomplete copy?

I have it with me today and will go to the store after work but need to know what I am supposed to be requesting.

Kind regards,
Cats.

The scratch off sticker IS the coa

The scratch sticker clearly states "This is not a COA". And it looks nothing like COA I have on another OEM Win7 (home),

EDIT:

It does not look like this:
http://www.computersystemsoftwares.com/test/computersystemsoftwares.com/photo/pl3988577-remark.jpg

It looks like this:

http://www.computersystemsoftwares.com/photo/pl11960672-windows7_product_key_codes_windows_7_professional_oem_coa_key_64_bit_32_bit_for_russia_version.jpg

 

[LucoTF]

So your scratch off doesn't look like this? http://image.ebuyer.com/customer/promos/RichMedia/coa_microsoft/1.jpg

 

[cats_Paw]

Luco, Cannot see the image. Access denied.

 

[LucoTF]

I can see the confusion. Rest assured, you have genuine windows and if you look closely at the cutout, the actual peelable sticker part does not include the text 'this is not a COA'

The text that says "this is not a COA" refers to the REST of the sticker. It's beyond dumb that they printed that right next to the actual COA though

Proof: https://www.tenforums.com/attachments/installation-upgrade/119584d1486070006t-cannot-view-product-key-clean-install-capture.jpg

 

[cats_Paw]

Ok.. If that is the case, why does the sticker have no data on if it IS a COA?
Everywhere I look online, the COA stickers contain "Certificate of Authenticity".
But in this case that is NOT there. So, what I mean is, If I have this and sticker and something goes wrong, how do I confirm that it IS a certificate when it does not state that it is a COA?

The sticker I have is all over sale websites but those that are confirmed do say "certificate of Authenticity".
No offense you you as a person I am just worried that my PC can be sized (It will be a workstation).

EDIT: And yes, I am being waaaay too paranoid on this subject, I know. Sorry its just my character (a flaw, obviously, my EX told me that).

RE-EDIT: Worse comes to worse I'll just buy another copy... If I can find a Box one.

 

[LucoTF]

They never seize computers, absolute worst case scenario is you wake up one day and your pc says "this key is no longer valid" or something and you have to buy another.

Can you see the M below the windows logo? https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/howtotell/Hardware.aspx

 

[USAFRet]

If there is no actual CoA, that is not quite right.
Transfer or sale of a Windows license must include the COA. This is quite clearly stated in their licensing terms, and any valid retailer would have that in or on the box as a matter of course.

 

[cats_Paw]

There is an M under the Windows logo (That is for Windows 10 thou, mine is windows 7, I assume its the same thing for both?).

It looks like the one at the top (COA section, Windows10 grey box)

 

[LucoTF]

Yeah you're fine then.

The only potential pitfall is that you may have inadvertantly purchased a system builder version, which would tie it to your motherboard. However it usually states very clearly on the packaging if you buy system builder.

 

[cats_Paw]

I dont care about it being tied to the system (I wont be changing it for a very long time, and if the motherboard fails I will change it for the same model).
By the time I will change the PC again, either Windows 10 is history or I will be forced to upgrade to Windows 10 due to market wide adoption and program compatibility, in which case I wont care about this Windows version anymore.
I do care about being ABLE to install it 😀. But that is not the retailers problem, hence If the Copy is legit, I wont bore them with my problems.

I wont be able to install it for at least another week due to waiting for the rest of the PC components so I want to have this issue figured out before then.
By Law (Poland) I am able to ask for a refund for 6 months if the copy is fraudulent/incomplete, but Id rather not wait that long since I may even loose the receipt by then.

And of course Id rather avoid the hassle and nerves.

EDIT: It says System builder on the package.

 

[LucoTF]

It's up to you if you want to return the system builder and pay extra for a full version. If they're similar in cost then I would do it, especially if microsoft continue with free OS upgrades like they did with windows 10

And yes with system builder if replacing the motherboard in the rare event of failure, it must be 'like for like' or you will lose the license.

 

[cats_Paw]

OK, got it. I cant find a box version of win7 anywhere so for now Ill stick with this. Thx for the help everyone.

 

[tykras]

The small sticker is the COA, if you look very closely at the design around the Microsoft logo on the left side, it repeats the words "CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY" and "MICROSOFT" in alternating lines (rotated 90 degrees). It's very tiny, so you may need a magnifying glass.